FECKTY **** **** – Locked keys in VW van – please help

Just got the van back from having some work done. Spare key in dashboard store, my key in the ignition and I shut the door -All doors locked – AAAARRRGGHH

Is it a case of smashing the window?
In which case passenger side electric or rear barn door (only put in two days ago!)

Call AA/RAC?

Stanley knife to remove seal on fixed window (presuming it's got one)

wire coat hanger, had to contend with the exact scenario today!!

Tin opener then have a sunroof fitted

wire coat hanger, had to contend with the exact scenario today!!

There's nowt to grab/pull.

Stanley knife to remove seal on fixed window (presuming it's got one)

It has, but it's a big, side window, which just went in – probably cost about as much to repair won't it?

tin opener – sun roof

Getting a pop-top fitted soon, so it's a thought

Smash the windscreen – cos you can get another one fitted for free/very little on your insurance?

phone aa/rac is the cheapfree option

You might be able to slide a window down getting the palms of your hands on it and sliding it. Other options are screwdriver or similar key in a lock. Depends how old it is but cars with worn locks will sometimes open on more or less any key.

join the AA/RAC get them out and they will be able to sort something. Its a lot less hassle/messy, cheaper than smashing a window.

Smash the windscreen? You would need to rip the whole thing out, they don't break like side windows. How would you explain that one?

It's a57 plate, so no sloppy windows or worn locks.
Other suggestions before I get the hammer and tape out?

Anyone work for VW hold out any hope?

When I did something similar, the AA slid an airbag into the top of the door, then pumped it up, opening the top of the door enough to get a wire in to wind down the window, which got us back in.

Side windows can get smashed by passing cars flicking up stones from the road. 😉

Side windows can get smashed by passing cars flicking up stones from the road.

But seemingly not by a 6'4" mtber with a hammer and a fear of rousing the neighbours!!

As I said feckty ****

As per an earlier thread suggestion pop out a side indicator lens and short the two wires across and it may pop the central locking.

Boxelder don't break a window! If you've got aa or rac they'll come out and get you in for free without breaking anything. The normal way involves a couple of small inflatable bags which they'll use to push the top of the door open. Then either wind the window down (if manual) or try and get the keys/press the open button on the key if not. They did it to a friend of mines t5 in a field at a race in about 20 minutes.

Oops double post

Really mate RAC.

I did exactly the same on my van about a year ago- they came in 1/2 n hour, did the job in 30 secs flat. Worth it. Really

Smash the windscreen? You would need to rip the whole thing out, they don't break like side windows. How would you explain that one?

Popping a windsreen takes no effort at all.

cut tennis ball in half neatly, place over lock and bang it hard, bobs your uncle door opens, works on older cars apparantly, if it doesn't no harm done. hve to hit it quite hard as the air forces the lock.

otherwise where's that image fo the drill posted the other week.

hope u get it sorted – do vw not have a spare master key somewhere.

Taped window and hit it 3 times increasingly hard with a hammer, then tried punching a large screwdriver through it with the hammer – too much noise!
Came in for a beer and a sulk then remembered the key was in the ignition to get the interior lights to work, so the key was turned.
Back out a prised window edge, coat hanger through gap and on about the zillionth go, pressed the unlock button (works when key turned in ignition!).
The click – burzzzt noise of it opening was beautiful.
👿 😥 😕 🙂 😀

Cheers all.

YEah my T5 transporter likes to lock itself all the time. Open it, open a door – fckr locks itself, basically anything other than getting in and starting it means it locks.
Have had a few near misses recently. Good to hear your solution worked.

Great wagons though aren't they!

Can't believe you tried breaking the window to get the keys without calling AA/RAC and just stumping up the callout charge if you are not a member!

boxelder I bought a sledgehammer at the weekend I could have run it down 🙂 Though you'd have been clearing up glass for ever in a day.

Glad your in now.

Might want to get the thread deleted with it's tips of getting in and all that.

cut tennis ball in half neatly, place over lock and bang it hard, bobs your uncle door opens, works on older cars apparantly, if it doesn't no harm done. hve to hit it quite hard as the air forces the lock

That's an urban myth.

worked on older golfs 😉

Might want to get the thread deleted with it's tips of getting in and all that.

Only works when the keys are in the ignition and turned two clicks and what kind of dimwhit would have a locked van in that state.

AA/RAC call-out – when you live in the back of beyond and need the vehicle 7 hours later, £70 window excess don't sound so bad. Must train up my hammer arm though…..

I don't know if these have the same system as my Ibiza, but I assume they do, as it's all VAG stuff.

If you unlock the door, but then don't open any of the doors the locking system is set to relock after 20secs or so.
If you open any of the doors, the system is supposed to cancel this re-locking feature, so you can't lock your keys in the car.

The switch/senseor that detects whether the door has been opened or not, often fails on Seat Ibiza's. There are regular posts about this on the SeatCupra forum & a new switch sorts it out. It could be that yours has failed and it might be worth getting it replaced to avoid this happening in future.

Thanks stumpy, but can't claim it was anything but carelessness on my part.

Doesn't sound right that Andy, if the keys were in the ignition the doors shouldn't lock, might have a fault they often do. First thing I do when I get back from a ride, when I've opened the passat is put the keys in the ignition and give then half a turn, it won't lock after that. 😉 You used to be able to get this function reprogrammed so it didn't lock, but I don't think you can on the more modern Vags.

You hit you glass 3 times and only then decided to have a go at pressing the button! How much damage have you done to the window 🙁

On the tennis ball myth. The old golfs used to work on a pnumatic system. I think the pump was in the boot so thats why they reckoned a tennis ball would 'pop' the locks in this case. Not a chance these days.

If it makes any of you guys feel any better, in all the years i have worked in the motor trade i have yet to find a mechanic who had any idea how to break into various vans (VW, Ford, Iveco, Merc) and have always had to resort to breaking windows (Cheaper for dealers). I once had to grind off a set of rear door hinges on a ford transit with fridge conversion and remove both doors in once piece still locked 🙁

Personally in that situation i would have called the AA/RAC.

karnali – Member

worked on older golfs

I believed it was only on BMWs

Only with air activated central locking, and you had to be very lucky to get it to work….

drac i smash windscreens regularly and it doesnt got that easy at all (laminated and bonded anyway , which most are now) it would take some explaining but as brant says insurance normally fix windscreen for nowt 😉

Can't believe nobody suggested calling a locksmith! neighbour is one does this all the time….worthwhile storing the number of one in your phone! Window excesses typically £70 these days, only free for stone chips!

my aunt did it with her keys when i was young and while waiting for the rac in the rain a guy with a tool bag walked passed asked us the problem and then undid the door with some plastic parcel wrap from his bag 😉

boxelder – so you unlocked the van, put the keys in the ignition (turned to pos II) and then shut the door.

Then, the central locking activated & locked all your doors without any intervention from you?

That sounds like just the fault I described – the locks shouldn't activate on their own once they've been unlocked and a door opened.

you in shropshire?
my pa has got one of these (no idea why)

pop it in the door, pump it up, it flexs the door open, and then pull the release.

worryingly easy with the correct tools!

(never mind, just read thread, turns out your sorted)